FOREST CHOIR CALL OUT

Are you a singer aged 16-25 years, living in the UK, with an interest in the climate change?

Would you like to participate in Forest Choir, a new video artwork by award winning artist Uta Kögelsberger?

Forest Choir is a response to the pressures forests have come under with climate change. It takes its cue from research that claims playing music to plants accelerates their growth and improves their immune system. In a playful and poetic interpretation of this research, Uta is inviting young adults to sing forests back to health.  

Individual singers will visit a forest or woodland local to their home, with Uta, who will film them singing an extract of a newly composed song.

Filming in forests and woodlands will take place between 7 – 30 June 2025. Filming will take no more than 4 hours. Please specify forest or woodland locations local to your home and dates you are available to film when applying.

Participation is on a voluntary basis, but participants will be gifted 10” x 8” limited-edition print, Replanting I, by Uta, by way of thanks. Reasonable travel expenses to the forest or woodland locations will be covered and light refreshments will be provided during filming. Recordings will not be used without participants approval.

Uta will produce Forest Choir as a multi -channel video installation to premiere at the Hatton Gallery, Newcastle Upon Tyne, from 19  September 2025 to  31January 2026

HOW TO APPLY

• Record a short videoclip (maximum 1 minute/Max 50MB) of you singing an extract from a song of your choice. The vocal performance should be Acapella without instrumental accompaniment.

• Send the videoclip, along with proof of your date of birth, your email and mobile phone number, a google map link to the forest or woodland local to where you live (within an hour of your home), where you choose to sing and which specific dates you are available to film between 7 – 30 June.

• Send the videoclip and all details requested above via WeTransfer  to uta.kogelsberger@hotmail.com  no later than 10 a.m. Tuesday 3 June 2025..

16 – 17 years will need parental/guardian consent, liason and chaperone to participate. Please ensure all communications are conducted by your parent/guardian.

Uta will review all applications, and successful applicants will be informed by Thursday 5 June. They will be sent the extract of the song they will be asked to perform (maximum 5 minutes). Filming will begin the following week commencing 7 June and carry on through to the 30 June working with your schedules and availability.

Link to earlier work that provided the starting point for Forest Choir

IMPORTANT: this is not the song we will use, but it gives an idea of the mood of the work